Friends
by merody
Summary: A boy without a name or identity escapes to find a better life. Another one loses his best friend and a brave girl must learn to be a leader.
1. Chapter 1

He didn't have a lot of things to pack before he left- food rations, a supply of water. A medicine pack and a traveling cloak. A small handmade pouch and a purse of coins. Everything he owned was inside the pack. He closed the pack and tied the string tightly.

It was dark outside without the moon illuminating the streets. If he was going to leave, it had to be tonight. Moonless nights meant bad luck, but he had to risk it. If he missed this chance, there wouldn't be another one for a long time. Nights like this were very rare.

He sat down to tie his boots. His heart was beating rapidly and he was sweating despite the cool breeze that came through the small window.

He wondered if there would be a search party for him if he disappeared. He was an outcast boy, no real family and no name to call himself. He was the Heretic Child, The Crazy Boy in the woods, The Spirit of the Forests, Guardian of Nature…He knew all about the stories that were made up about him to amuse the children at bedtime. He was literally a living legend, often hunted down by the village boys with hopes of rich rewards and bragging rights for bringing his head to the King.

He finished tying up his boots and stood up. He tied his cloak around his slim shoulders. He looked at his home for the last time. It wasn't much, a simple hut in the deep woods with two rooms. His room was barely big enough for him to fit in, and he slept outside most of the time. He dusted and cleaned for the last time. It felt good to do these familiar things. His eyes swept the area to see if he'd forgotten anything, and suddenly he felt sadness. His home, like everyone else's was supposed to be with his family. He knew where his biological parents lived and he often looked at the home that he felt could have been his. He looked at the parents that he could have loved, the brother that he could have cared for. It was too much for him to think about, and he stepped outside. He slung his pack on his shoulder he held his arms out. 'May the Mother Earth and Father Sky protect me!' he whispered, hoping that the wind would carry his voice to wherever it should go. He turned and left, but not without looking back several times.

-

He knew they'd be there before he arrived. They did not look up when he approached and finally he stood before the two figures.

'Took you long enough,' said the taller one. 'We've been waiting.' The smaller figure beside him stepped forward and they came into a three-way hug.

She was tall for her age, had long electric blue hair and eyes that flashed violet. Although she was clever and kind, QueenAlexandra was far too young to rule. He remembered the day they first met in the forests, when he'd held a knife against her throat (hair and eye of her color were very rare, and of course, he had no idea he was dealing with _the_ Princess- she still a princess then- at that time). She'd smirked at him, saying that even if he slit her throat then and there, he would not have time to boast because he would be suffering too badly from the injuries she would inflict on him as she died (and he found out later on that she could've done just that). They'd been the best of friends since then.

Her younger brother's features were almost identical to his sister's, so identical that they could've been twins. Leon was taller than Alexandra, well-built from constant training and had short dark blue hair and eyes. He was serious and quiet, very different from his outspoken older sister. He and Leon were rivals in combat and closer than brothers.

Both he and Alexandra were his best friends in the whole world, his only friends. He didn't need to say anything, they understood his feelings so well. That was why they did not try to stop him when he told them that he wanted to leave. They both understood what was best for him and didn't hold him back. He would miss them so much.

'We'll miss you. A lot. Don't forget us ever. Come back' said Leon, voicing the words that Alexandra could not form. He nodded, but he knew that he was probably not ever going to come back. And looking into Leon's eyes, he was sure he thought the same.

'I'll see you later,' said Alexandra. 'I will see you again sometime.' It wasn't a request or a demand, but a statement. It nearly broke his heart. He looked at them as if he were preserving their image in his mind. They didn't need words to communicate, they already understood. His brother and his sister, he was leaving them behind forever. There were no words that he could say to ease the pain. He held on to Alexandra's and Leon's hands and squeezed them tightly, as if to communicate his feelings to them through touch. The three of them stood in each others' arms for what felt like eternity. Finally Leon broke off and put his arm around Alexandra's shoulder and led her back down the path where they came from. They all knew that to see him off would be too much for their emotions to bear. They didn't look back as they left, and for that he was grateful. He didn't want either of them to see the tears coming out of his eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

They fought, as usual. They met every evening just as the sun set behind the Sol Sanctum. No one else knew about it, it was their own secret game.

It was a pretty even match so far, but it was going to end soon. Felix and Isaac were tiring, sweat dripping of their bodies and their hands worn and scratched from holding their swords. Swordplay was strictly forbidden to children and civilians, and they were surprised that they hadn't yet been discovered. In a way, the added risk of discovery made it all the more fun for the two of them, and they were both proud and amused that they could fool the older people.

Isaac looked tired, but Felix knew he was ready for an attack and would be able to counter attack it as well. But he could also tell that he wanted to finish the match. It was getting pretty dark and it looked like it might rain. But they couldn't just drop their swords and call it a day. No _way jose _could they leave a match undecided. It was boring that way. _No, not boring_, thought Felix, _wrong_. There was only one occasion when they'd agreed on a draw, and never again.

Felix tightened his grip on the sword and winced as the rusty handle scratched him again. They'd been using the same swords for quite a while, and Felix thought that it was just about time to steal some new weapons from the armory. Maybe and axe this time, or a lance just to get the feel of a new weapon. Although in his opinion, nothing, _nothing_ could come close to the feel of a sword. Swift, powerful and deadly, he knew that this was his chosen weapon and nothing was going to stop him from mastering it. His dream was to be a Swordmaster.

Felix was just getting ready to attack when Isaac suddenly put down his sword and held his hands up in surrender. Felix was surprised- their matches were generally decided by who dropped dead first- but he grinned and raised his fist in victory.

'You're more exhausted than I am.' Isaac told him as he sat down on a dry patch of soil.

'I am,' said Felix, 'but I didn't want to be the first.'

'Neither did I, but you were more determined,' said Isaac, closing his eyes, resting, 'but we are even now, 28-28.'

Felix cut up an apple and gave the larger half to Isaac. He bit into his own half and sat down next him. There was silence as the two boys ate and rested.

'We should go,' said Isaac when they'd both finished eating. 'Your mom thinks we're playing with Jenna, and she won't be happy to find us late.'

Isaac's mother died a long time ago of sickness. Being a child at that time, no one ever told Isaac the truth, but he figured it out anyway in the end. Although Isaac's father was still very much alive, Felix couldn't help feeling sorry for Isaac. Fathers weren't mothers because mothers were mothers. But Felix never verbalized his feelings to Isaac because he knew that Isaac absolutely _hated _it. It was one of the few things in the world that could make his peaceful friend angry. Isaac once said that it disturbed him that everyone was still treating him like a motherless child.

'Felix? We should really go. It's going to rain hard.'

Felix looked up and realized that Isaac had been standing over him for quite a while. 'Yeah, let's go. Wanna eat dinner with us?' he asked. Isaac shook his head.

'Father said he'd be home early to cook dinner,' he said.

'I'll see you tomorrow then,' said Felix. Isaac nodded and waved at him as he left.

-

Felix noticed how fast the night seemed to come these days. He wondered if winter was coming earlier than expected, and he made a mental note to tell Dad about it. He looked up at the night sky. No moon tonight, but all the stars lit up the sky brightly, as if to make up for the absence of the moon. He wondered if all his other friends had noticed. He didn't know how long he stood there simply staring at the beautiful sky when he heard the soft crunch of boots behind him.

'Beautiful, isn't it? Moonless nights mean good luck,' whispered Jenna. Felix turned to his little sister and smiled. She's always been able to appear next to him without a sound, it was one of her little known talents that only he and their close friends knew about.

'C'mon, Jen. Let's go tell the others to go stargazing with us,' he whispered.

'No, I don't want to,' said Jenna, taking Felix' arm in hers, 'I bet they see this from their windows anyway. Besides, this is so pretty and I want just _you_ to be with me now.'

Felix closed his eyes and was amazed at the peacefulness he felt. He'd never realized how quiet it could be until now.

Suddenly they heard a loud blast coming from the north. Jenna screamed and Felix held her protectively in his arms. They heard several other screams and Jenna started to sob. Suddenly the wind picked up and there was lightning shooting down over the night sky, like vengeful, angry tears across a peaceful face. Felix felt the wind wiping fast on his face and he was afraid to move lest the wind rip him to shreds.

'Mom!' gasped Felix, 'Let's go home, Jenna! Mom and Dad will be there!' Jenna nodded, but didn't move. Felix heard a voice call out to him, but he couldn't tell the direction from which it came from. Suddenly he felt his parents' arms around him and Jenna and he let out a cry of relief. Of course his parents had gone out to find them despite the danger. He took comfort in this thought as his parents somehow led them home, which turned out to be not far away.

'Felix!' Jenna exclaimed when they were safe, 'Our friends! We have to find out if they're okay! We're safe now, but what about them? I just left Garet and Peter not long ago…what if they haven't made it home? Felix, we gotta go!'

'Oh Jen, everything's gonna be alright…' He could hear the wind howling and the deafening sound of thunder, his eardrums threatening to burst. 'Jenna, Jenna, everything's gonna be okay …just wait for awhile, Jen, it'll stop…c'mon, everyone's gonna call ya a chicken if you get scared at a little noise, right? C'mon, everything's okay, we're safe…nothing's gonna happen to us or anyone else….everything's fine!'

BOOM!

It was then when it started to rain.

-

_It was a small boat, but it looked sturdy and reliable. It didn't rock as he lowered himself and his pack into it. He tested the waters with his oars and thankfully, the waters were calm tonight. He tried not to think of the ocean, the wide vicious ocean that lay ahead. He knew that the ocean was so vast that you could not see land for miles…he shuddered. 'Fool' he whispered to himself. 'Here you are, on in the middle of escaping, and you think about what could go wrong NOW?' Many things could go wrong. He knew the risks, and decided to take them. No point in backing out now, Alexandra and Leon are never going to let him hear the end of it. 'I'm going to go through with this for my pride if nothing else,' he chuckled. Anyway, it's not like he could chicken out now, not with the small pouch in his pack- just a little something to make sure he won't be forgotten…_

_He left, and this time he did not look back._


	3. Chapter 3

'It's raining really hard, isn't it? It's kinda exciting y'know.'

'Shut up, Garet.'

'What?'

'…'

'Hey, what?'

'There's nothing '_exciting_' about this!' snapped Jenna, 'There are PEOPLE who are still out there in the freaking HURRICANE and you're saying it's COOL?'

Jenna leaned back and let out a frustrated sigh. She really didn't mean to sound so angry at Garet, but she was too wound up to think about manners. They were in one of the many rooms in shelters set up at the town square along with the other children and elderly people. The storm had been going for more than three hours. She was worried sick about her family, she hadn't seen them since they were separated in the evacuation. Even Felix, she couldn't find him...what if he was caught up in the storm? The grown-ups had assured her that Felix was fine, that they'd find him, but grown-ups weren't always right. What if they were wrong? What if-

'Sheesh, Garet, way to impress a girl,' said Peter. 'Don't mind that churlish oaf, Jenna. He probably hit his head somewhere.'

Jenna giggled in spite of herself, and even Garet was smiling even though he was the butt of the joke. It was always like that when Peter was around. He always managed to soothe the tension easily with a well-placed joke or wisecrack. He had pale blonde hair and soft gray eyes. He was always teased about looking like a girl, but he didn't mind much. He was good-natured and lots of fun to be with, which was why Jenna often found herself blushing around him, like all the other girls. Jenna snuggled up to Peter and pulled Garet closer so that the three of them made a small cocoon to protect against the cold. Jenna closed her eyes and thought of her brother. She wanted him here so bad. Felix had protected her and comforted her. She didn't know how they lost each other in the huge flood of people, he was holding her hand so tight when he suddenly let go and she lost sight of him. _Stupid storm! Tonight was a good luck night! Tonight was special! So WHY? Just a few hours ago, brother and I, we were so happy staring at the beautiful sky…what does the sky look like now? Dark, lot's of clouds covering the stars. The sky was angry. It was angry, and it was taking revenge on the humans…it'll tear down the houses, the sanctum and all the people…_

'Jenna! Wake up, _please_ Jenna!'

Jenna's eyes snapped open. 'Felix! You're here!' she cried, relief flooding over her.

'No, sorry,' Garet grumbled, 'just me. But wake up anyway! Peter's gone!'

'Like where, to the bathroom?' Jenna muttered, embarrassed that she was heard calling out her brother's name.

'No! I don't know! I woke up and he wasn't here. He hasn't come back yet! No one's seen him anywhere!'

'Well,' said Jenna calmly, 'where _could _he have gone? No one's crazy enough to go out THERE, so he must be here.'

'Maybe Peter _is_ crazy enough. There aren't any guards outside.'

'Are you kidding? Why SHOULD there be guards out there, heck the _storm_ is our freaking _guard_! Peter isn't crazy. And if he was, he'd take us with him cause we're his best friends in the whole world! Or at least, in Vale we are!'

Garet was taken aback by Jenna's sudden outburst, but he hid it well. 'Yeah, well so are Isaac and Felix,' he whispered softy, 'Maybe he's gone out to look for _them_.'

Jenna opened her mouth to retaliate then closed it, realizing that that was just the kind of thing Peter would do.

'Jen, let's go after him! We'll bring 'im back and beat him senseless! Wouldn't that feel good?' said Garet encouragingly.

Jenna looked at Garet and sighed. Boys! 'No, Garet. No _way._' she said softly.

'Whaddya mean, 'no way?' Jen, we gotta find him and Isaac and Felix! We have to! We'll be famous when we save them!' Garet whispered so as not to be overheard. But the room was small and already several people had their heads turned towards them. Garet barely suppressed the urge to growl at them.

'Fame!' shouted Jenna, this time getting the attention of the whole room, 'Is that _all_ you can think about? Do you even _know_ how worried people will be if we turn up missing? Think of our _parents_! Jeez, Garet!'

'SHUT UP!' roared Garet, 'So do _you_ have a _better_ idea, Miss-know-it-all-genius! FINE! Let's hear it then! Or MAYBE you can't think of anything without that BROTHER of yours to snuggle up to!'

'S-shut UP! Don't you DARE insult Felix, don't you DARE!'

'That's enough, please both of you!'

Jenna and Garet were practically at each other's throats when they looked up and saw Isaac's father standing in front of them, not looking angry at all.

'Uncle Kyle!'

Instantly they forgot their anger and ran into his arms, sobbing. 'Felix and Isaac are gone and so is Peter!' cried Jenna.

'I know, I know,' said Kyle, 'I'm scared too, Jenna. But we're searching, okay? We're searching for them. Vale is a big town and there are many places to hide. I'm sure Isaac and Felix are safe, probably scared, but I'm sure they're not harmed. Okay?' Jenna nodded, but Garet wasn't convinced.

'What if Isaac and Felix and Peter fall into the river? They might get lost,' he said. Kyle put a hand on Garet's shoulder and smiled.

'Peter is much stronger than he looks, and he's very brave. Felix is also very capable, he knows how to handle himself and anyone else with him. Felix is probably worried about _you, _Jenna. And Isaac is a smart boy. He's probably hiding somewhere safe instead of going into the storm and risking himself. He's safe. After all, he is my son.' He winked. Kyle's words seemed to calm down the two children and they pulled away from him.

'Is there anything at all we can do to help?' asked Garet. 'I wanna save people!'

Kyle laughed. 'That's very admirable, Garet. Maybe when you grow up you could be a hero and go adventuring around the world. But for now, I want you and Jenna to go around and comfort the other children and keep the elders company. There are a lot of rooms, so you better get to work!'

Jenna laughed. 'Well, my brother and the others better get back soon, or I'll work them to death for making us worry. Then they'll regret ever coming back, right Garet?'

'Right!'

-

Kyle felt bad about having to lie to the children. He couldn't tell them the truth, that in fact there was no search party to look for the children. All the townspeople were still here, not one person has left the town square. Every person here was hiding in the several shelters set up after they've found their families. Everyone was praying, but no one wanted to risk themselves to save the children. _Not even I, even if one of them is my own son,_ he thought. He couldn't leave even if he wanted to. There were guards set up near the entrance to the town square to ensure that no one would go back to their houses to get their valuables. But that was no excuse. The truth is that he was scared. He was a coward, a father who could not, _would not, _save his own child. _I am not a prayerful man, but to whoever is up there, please let me see my son again. Please protect Isaac, he's my only son, he's all I have left in this world…_


End file.
